Means fob supporting bttmpehs on atjto chassis



F. J. LAHER. MEANS FOR SUPPORTING BUMPERS 0N AUTO CHASSIS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.22 I920.

Patented Oct. 10, 1922.

Even/2r firm/76 f4 6 /7;

Patented Oct. 10, 1922.

UNITED STATES FRANK J. LAHER, on SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

MEANS FOR SUPPORTING BUMPERS N AUTO CHASSIS.

, Application filed December 22, 1920.. Serial No. 432,578.

M Too whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, FRANK J. LAHER, a citizen of the United States, a resident of the city of Seattle, county of King, and State of \Vashington, have invented a cer tain new and useful Improvement in Means for Supporting Bumpers on Auto Chassis,

of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is .to provide simple and inexpensive brackets which may readily be mounted on the hounds or side I attain my object by mounting on the supporting surface of the hounds blocks each having its top and bottom faces concaved, so that the bottom face may be firmly .seated on ahound as usually made, and the top face of the block will provide a firm .seat for the brackets by which the bumper is supported onthe hounds. Preferably I make said blocks of wood so that the curvesof theirtopand bottom faces may be readily worked over by any ordinary tool and changed to that slight degree as will adapt said faces to their purpose. p p

In combination with said .blocks I use supporting brackets thelower part of which include vertical and arcuate sections whereby these brackets are adapted to be so, supported on said blocks relatively to the curved supporting faces of the hounds as to place the vertical sections of the brackets in proper vertical position. Said bracketsare made of suitable metal, and the said arcuate sections describe an. arc with a longer. radius than the convex top seating faces in said blocks, so that the said arcuate surfaces will always be firmly clampedon the blocks as illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 6, in the accompanying drawings. 1

My bumpersupporting means are particularlyvdesigned to providethe proper support for that type of bumper invented by me for which I have filed a companion application for Letters Patent of the United States entitled Bumper for vehicles, which appli cation was filed Dec. 22, 1920, Serial No. 51,32,577.

Referring to the remaining figures in said accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 shows said type of bumper invented by me, and for the support of which my bumper supporting means herein described are particularly invented by me;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the preferred form in which I construct the brackets of my supporting means;

Fig. 3 shows one end of my said bumper and illustrates diagrammatically how an end is deflected in case of collision between the vehicle and another body;

Fig. 4 illustrates a modification which may bemadein the construction of the brackets of my supporting means;

Fig. 5 shows one of the blocks which is to be secured on the hounds of the chassis, and on which the brackets: of my supporting means are clamped in place; and

Fig. (Sis a diagrammatic View particularly showing the relative curves given the top face of the blocks, and the arcuate sections ofthe bracket, so that the latter section, and thus the bracket itself, may be firmly clamped down into the concave upper face,

or seat, of the block on which the bracket is mounted. I

In Fig. 1 a, a represent the front ends of the hounds or side bars of the auto chassis. Similar portions of the hounds are also shown in Figs. 2, 8, and f. On each of these ends is mounted a block 6, preferably of wood, and made with a bottom concave face 0 and a top concave face cl. The bottom c0n cave facec of the block b is adapted to be firmly mounted on the curved ends 0 of the hounds, On the blocks 2) are mounted the brackets supporting the extremities of the bumper. These brackets may be made as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4 but I prefer the construction illustrated in Fig. 2.

Referring to the latter figure The bracket shown consists of an upright part 9 and an angularpart f, connected by an arcuate section it, the part f having an angular ex-v tension f, which overlaps the part g, and said extension f and the part 9 being perforated to receive a clamp-bolt z.

"The are of the arcuate section it has a greater radius than the curve of the upper face d of the block I). The purpose of such construction is that when the bracket is mounted on its block it will be firmly held at three points; that is to say, by both the longitudinal extremitiesot the block 7), and at the middle of the block, when the arcuate section It is drawn firmlydown into the con-- cave faced of the block by any suitable clamping means, andhence the bracket canbrackets are made with said arcu-ate sections h in order that thebrackets may in all cases be so positionedas to bring the )arts substantially vertical, irresrmctive of the curve which the supporting ends of the hounds may have.

It is necessary that the upright parts g of my brackets be vertically positioned, since, as I mentioned, my supporting means were especially invented by me forthe purpose of supporting my said special type of bumper illustrated by on inFig. 1, and consisting of a flat resilient bar the two ends of which make an obtuse angle with each other, and have each a return bend with the terminii of the ends located close to, and equi-distant from, the middle ofthe bumper. Since it is necessary that the angular ends of this bumper 'lie in a plane parallel with the ground, hence said upright parts g of the supporting brackets must be supported in. a vertical plane.

'The modification of my bracket illustrated in Fig. 4 comprises an upright part in, made withlan .end 0 having a return bend the parts a and 0 being perforated to receive the clamping-bulky); and the lower end of the ,partn terminates in an arcuatepart g, which is the equivalent of, and performs thesame functions as the arcuate part it of my bracket sl'iowninFig. 2. v

. The type of bracket shown in ig. 2, has, for convenience been shown in "the illustration ot Fig. 1 of the drawingsfbut, as already stated, I prefer the construction shown in Fig. 2. .However, that ismerely a mat- 'ter "of personal choice; and indeed Ido not wish it tobe understood as limiting myself with regard to details of construction.

3 I' claim: I

1.' Supporting-means of'the character described comprising, .a block fhaving its bottom face adapted for *firmlyxmounting on the supportingelement and its upper face concaved, a bracket comprising an uprightpart and an arcuate resilient section normally curved to aradiusgreater thanthat of the curve of the concaved top clfthe said block,

:and means-for fastening the adjacent end of a bumper to said upright part of the bracket.

2. :Supporting-means o-f the character de scribed comprising, a block having its bottom lace adaptedi'or firmly mounting on the supporting element and its upper face coniaved, abracket madeof a bar; fiat incross section, comprising an upright part and an arcuate resilient sectionnormally curvedtoia radius greater than that ofthe curve of the concaved top of the said block, andmeans for fastening the adjacent end of a'bumper to said upright part ofthe bracket.

3. Supporting-means of the character described comprising, a block having itsbottom and top faces concaved, a bracket com prising an upright part and an arcu'ateresilient section normally curved to'a radius greater than that of the curve ofthe concaved top of the said block, and means for attaching the bracket and blockto a vehicle frame, said means when in use "engaging the normally curved resilent section and draw- 'ing same into'intimate contact with :the concaved top of the block.

l. Supporting-means of the character described comprising, a block having its'bottom face adapted for'firmly mounting on the supportinglelement and its upper face "concaved, a bracket consistingof an upright part and an angular partconnected by an arcuate resilient section, the free-ends ofsaid.

nrcu ate resilient section, the free ends of said partsoverlappingcne the other, and-means for drawing said'overlappin parts together.

6. Supporting means of e character described comprising, a block having its bot- =ton1rface ada ted for firmlymounting' on the supporting e ement audits up er face eoncaved, a bracket consisting --an-upright part and an angular part connected by an arcu'a'te resilient section, the free ends ofsaid parts overlapping one *the other, and a clamping bolt inserted through the overlapping part. I

"7. Supporting-means of the characterdescribedcomprising, ablock "having' 'its bottom face adapted forfirmly mounting on the supporting element and its upper .face concaved, a bracket made of a flat bar, consisting of an upright part and an angular part connected *by an arcuate resilient section, the free ends of said partsoverlapping-onethe other.

8. Supporting meansof the character described comprising, a block having its bottom face adapted for firmly mounting on the supporting element and its upper face concaved, a bracket made of a flat bar, consisting of an upright part and an angular part connected by an arcuate resilient section, the free ends of said parts overlapping one the other, and means for drawing said overlapping parts together.

9. Supporting-means of the character described comprising, a block having its hottom face adapted for firmly mounting on the supporting element and its upper face concaved, a bracket made of a fiat bar, con sisting of an upright part and an angular part connected by an arcuate resilient section, the free ends of said parts overlapping one the other, means for drawing said overlapping parts together, and means for clamping said supporting-means on the sup- 20 porting element.

FRANK J. LAHER. 

